I fly fish and kayak. I have tried to fly fish lakes from my Wilderness Ride (13’ sit on top) but making a smooth transition from paddling to fishing or visa-versa is awkward at best, especially if you are trying to work a lake bank. When stationary, working a rise or landing a fish, I get blown sideways. The problem with my float tube and pontoon boat is that, if you want to throw a dry to rising fish, you have to paddle backwards to get your target, then spin around to cast. I have found that they are really only useful when trolling or stripping.

When fly fishing from the OutbackFisherman, my questions are:

1. Can you easily navigate a lake bank both with and against the wind?

2. Facing into the wind, can you hover in place while fishing an area or landing a fish?

3. Has anyone mounted the Scotty fly rod holder with the flat mount on the gunnel? If so where, so that it is not in the way when stripping line, casting or landing a fish? Would the mount base (with rod holder removed) be in the way of the main sheet?

4. On my other kayak, I strip line onto the deck between my legs. On the OutbackFisherman, what does the line usually hang up on?

5. When stationary in a wind, are you blown sideways or does it track for and aft?

6. When sailing (not fishing), quartering into the wind with a pretty good chop, do you take water over the bow or quarter? Does the bow tend to sail under? I am a heavyweight (300) and fill up a kayak pretty good.

I'm not a fly fisherman but I can assure you the Mirage Drive will make life a lot better for you. One of the benefits is the ability to hold position against wind and current. When fishing a shoreline with the wind try letting out a drift chute aft and use the drive to control your distance from the bank.

I use a fly rod almost exclusively from my outback. That said, the wind will always be there, so I use a drift sock when I am in the salt and wish to go slower. This allows me to fish an area slowly but still keep moving. When in the river I'll go against the current maknig slight adjustments to the rudder. I am right-handed, so I normally fish to the left shore. I also use an anchor off the front of my Hobie Outback when I want to stay in one place for more than a few minutes.

_________________3/4 of the planet is covered in water. Doesn't this tell you something?

Thanks for the replies. My local dealer will let me take one out for a day and fish so I’ll be able to see how it works. No matter how it works for fishing, it will be a great day on the water, fishing and kayaking!

I will answer my own questions posted above, for the benefit of other fly fishers contemplating the purchase of an Outback.

My dealer (Sierra Nevada Adventure Company, Arnold, CA) loaned me one of their rental Outback’s for a day so I could try it out for fly fishing. I loved it, so I purchased a new one that night. Since then, I have been fly fishing several times and have gone out lake exploring as well. When paddling, this handles as well as my 13’ sit on top and is much more maneuverable when peddling.

1. Can you easily navigate a lake bank both with and against the wind?
A: Yes, easily. Both with and against the wind, with just a little adjustment of the rudder, you can easily follow the contours of the bank, casting off the side of the boat.

2. Facing into the wind, can you hover in place while fishing an area or landing a fish?
A: Yes. Again, with an adjustment of the rudder, you can keep the fish where you want it while landing. I found that when the fish is out a ways, it was easiest to reel with the rod facing forward. When the fish is tired, before netting it, I came hard about so the fish was to the side of the kayak, for landing.

3. Has anyone mounted the Scotty fly rod holder with the flat mount on the gunnel? If so where, so that it is not in the way when stripping line, casting or landing a fish? Would the mount base (with rod holder removed) be in the way of the main sheet?
A: Haven’t answered that one yet, but I think just forward of or next to the seat would be best.

4. On my other kayak, I strip line onto the deck between my legs. On the Outback Fisherman, what does the line usually hang up on?
A: I striped the line on the deck between my legs and made casts, shooting the line out without any hang ups. When changing the fly or leader, the line would sometimes get hung under tag end of the foot adjustment strap.

5. When stationary in a wind, are you blown sideways or does it track for and aft?
A: You can have it both ways. If you leave the rudder down, mid-ship, and fully extend the flippers, you track for and aft to the wind. If you pull the rudder up and snug the flippers up to the hull, you will drift sideways. That way you can drift a wet on the windward side or cast a dry to a rise on the leeward side. A note of caution, drifting this way is EXTREMELY relaxing. I nodded off and woke up as I face planted in the water. My Orvis T3 rod went to the bottom but luckily I was using a floating line so I could retrieve it. I now use a leash for the Mirage Drive as well as my rod (and now with my new glasses).

6. When sailing (not fishing), quartering into the wind with a pretty good chop, do you take water over the bow or quarter? Does the bow tend to sail under? I am a heavyweight (300) and fill up a kayak pretty good. A: Can’t answer this as I haven’t picked up the sail kit yet. It does pick up a few inched of water from the drive slot but it does not take water in over the bow in light wind even when coming hard about.

In summery, I love the Outback both for kayaking, peddling and fishing. It makes a great fly fishing platform. I also have several tube floats and a pontoon boat but prefer the Outback. I cal also recommend it for the fuller figured male for fun or fishing. Just don't fall asleep!

1. Can you easily navigate a lake bank both with and against the wind?

No, the Outback does not do well on lake banks. They were designed to operate in water. You'll have to get out of the kayak if you want to navigate on lake bank.

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2. Facing into the wind, can you hover in place while fishing an area or landing a fish?

Ahh, this is an easy one. The Outback is designed to use in water. A hover craft hovers, planes land and fish get caught. Hehehe.

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3. Would the mount base (with rod holder removed) be in the way of the main sheet?

I would not recommend trying to fish and sail at the same time.

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4. On my other kayak, I strip line onto the deck between my legs.

This sounds kinky.

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On the OutbackFisherman, what does the line usually hang up on?

People hang up, not lines. Avoid lines by using a cell phone.

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5. When stationary in a wind, are you blown sideways or does it track for and aft?

When stationary in a wind, you are not moving. However, if the wind is strong enough, you will be blown in the direction it blows you at which point you will no longer be stationary in the wind.

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6. When sailing (not fishing), quartering into the wind with a pretty good chop, do you take water over the bow or quarter?

Depends on whether the chop is 1 foot or 4 foot and whether the chop is breaking over the bow or not.

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Does the bow tend to sail under?

The bow sails under whatever you go under, like a bridge, or whatever.

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I am a heavyweight (300) and fill up a kayak pretty good.

All types of people enjoy the Outback, including heavyweights. Um, the Outback is human powered so filling it up is not necessary. Filling up the car to take you to the lake may be appropriate.

Sorry Grizz, I couldn't resist. Cuss me out if you want.

On the serious side, the Outback must be paddled (not pedaled) in the shallow areas (less than 1-1.5 foot deep), so if you are fishing beside a bank and it is shallow, expect to paddle. You can't cast and paddle at the same time. Grasses also get hung up in the pedal mechanism, so if you are in a grassy area, expect to clean out grass often.

Anywhere else and you can do circles around other kayaks. The Outback sits pretty high in the water so a little chop doesn't get you wet.

If the wind is blowing strongly and you don't want to be moving, you'll have to throw out an anchor. How you face when the wind blows is dependent on many factors like rudder position and current.

The Outback has 4 built in rod holders so you can be trolling and casting at the same time. It is the most stable kayak I've ever been in and when you are fishing, stable is good.

You should see some of the ways fishermen are customizing the Outback. GPS, fish finders, depth finders, live wells, custom hatches, and more.

You can't beat the price considering you are getting a stable kayak, a fishing kayak, a paddling kayak, a pedaling kayak, and a sailing kayak all in one package.

... is EXTREMELY relaxing. I nodded off and woke up as I face planted in the water.

Uh oh... I've come real close to nodding off plenty of times, even when pedaling. It is relaxing to close the eyes and pedal (in wide open areas), but you have just confirmed that it can lead to consequences. Bet Hobie didn't realize they have a product so relaxing people fall asleep in it.

Great report Grizz and Rny--always good to see someone answer his own questions! Don't forget the outrigger side of the equation for standing while fly fishing--gives you a few more possibiities with the OB.

Good thing I didn’t read your reply while in the Outback or I would have face planted again and choked on a lot of water while laughing. Thanks.

Right now, all my fishing is in alpine lakes for trout, so the banks I fish have steep drop offs to the channel so the shallows aren’t a problem

The lake grasses that I have peddled through are mostly hydrilla, which seem to shake loose before becoming a problem. Keeping hydrilla off of a wooly bugger is a different story.

My fly rods have no extended butt to stick in the pole holders. The butt doesn’t extend much past the reel, so the Scotty fly rod holder is the best answer for hands free trolling.

Actually, my Wilderness Systems Ride, a 13’ sit on top, is a little more stable with its catamaran style hull, but, it is only a kayak, and in a race, me peddling the Outback and my 17 year old, 6-1, 180 lb jock son on the Ride, I WON. Nothing more needs to be said.

The lake grasses that I have peddled through are mostly hydrilla, which seem to shake loose before becoming a problem.

You're lucky. There are some grasses around here that will wrap around the pedals slowing it down to a crawl.

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The butt doesn’t extend much past the reel, so the Scotty fly rod holder is the best answer for hands free trolling.

Understood. I wanted to go trolling yesterday but thunderstorms kept me off the Gulf of Mexico waters. There are lots of speckled trout around here. You ought take some photos of your fish and post them.

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...and in a race, me peddling the Outback and my 17 year old, 6-1, 180 lb jock son on the Ride, I WON. Nothing more needs to be said.

I'd did a race last month and was surprised by averaging about 5 mph (pedaling and paddling) and beating some tandem kayakers in much longer, narrower kayaks. Race often!

the Outback must be paddled (not pedaled) in the shallow areas (less than 1-1.5 foot deep

Actually... you can pedal in any water deep enough for the drive with the fins up against the hulls. Use very quick/short strokes with one foot all the way forward. The fins flapping like bird wings and without going to the full depth actually propel the boat forward quite well.

Actually... you can pedal in any water deep enough for the drive with the fins up against the hulls. Use very quick/short strokes with one foot all the way forward. The fins flapping like bird wings and without going to the full depth actually propel the boat forward quite well.

Yes, you are correct. You can actually pedal until the unit is dragging in the mud, dirt and sand. However, this grit cannot be good on the drive units, so if I'm in shallow enough water that the rubber sails hit bottom, it is time for me to paddle.

Hi,
Is there any chance Hobie would be able to design the drive to be able to reverse or back up? When fly fishing from my WS Ride I keep a small paddle to be able to back away from the shore line or better position myself. If they could come up with a reverse gear, I know I would buy one.

Hey Tex,
Good idea, but no such luck as yet. But if you install the Mirage drive backwards (as I have done on at least one occasion), believe it or not, you can go backwards! However, once I realized what I had done, I quickly pulled the unit and re-installed it correctly. Don't know if it was possible or not, but I was concerned about it damaging the hull and mounts if it was in backwards.

However, it is much easier to just get the paddle out when reversing, rather than trying to pull the drive, reverse it, or whatever. But do NOT attempt to use the Mirage drive in heavy lake or river vegetation, such as mature lily pads, since you will more than likely come to a dead stop, and it may be diffficult to dis-entangle yourself without pulling the drive. And that itself might be a real chore if you can't easily get the flippers lined up with the lily stalks wrapped around them. Just my $.02

Hey Tex,
a lot of my fishing is on a tailwater where often there is current from generation flows. When I arrive at a hole where trout are holding, I lean forward, pull the drive out and turn it around. This way, while I'm facing downstream, casting downstream, pedaling keeps me upstream for good nymph drifting into the hole. There's no way I can imagine this damages the drive; it's very sturdy. The rudder gets a little tricky but, you can get used too it quickly.